


Reunited

by PoeticExec



Category: The Flash (2014)
Genre: F/M, Family Reunion, Kid!Fic, Kind of Dark!Iris
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-10
Updated: 2017-12-10
Packaged: 2019-02-12 20:02:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,379
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12967332
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PoeticExec/pseuds/PoeticExec
Summary: There was something just a little bit wrong with Dawn. Iris aims to find out what.





	Reunited

Everything is wrong. Everything she said, everything about it was a little bit wrong. Iris didn’t want to admit it, but Dawn had a lot to answer for. 

Iris leaned back in her chair in the middle of the STAR Labs cortex and put a hand up to her temple. Dawn had approached her soon after Barry’s arrest with information on the case. She had a couple of old leads that Cecile had chased down, but they had all came with nothing. Dawn looked crushed when it became evident that what she had done hadn’t helped at all. 

But she accidentally came into STAR Labs when Cisco was creating breaches and she caught sight of the Flash suit unused on the mannequin (something Iris didn’t like looking at). She was brought into the fold, but somehow she seemed to know everything a little bit too soon. 

Iris sighed to herself, and she tried to guard herself against the sinking feeling that they had all been duped into trusting the wrong person. Again. There was something about Dawn’s face that kicked up Iris’ protective instinct, but with Barry being gone maybe that instinct is just in overdrive.

He was out on bail now, and there isn’t anything that Iris wouldn’t do to protect him. Cecile and Joe were attempting to do the same thing, so they were working at the West house going over Barry’s case. Iris pretended she couldn’t be there while Cisco and Ralph were out patrolling, but really she couldn’t face the prospect of them failing.

She couldn’t bring herself to face the prospect that she’d fail to protect him as soon as she was hers to truly lose. Savitar may have forced Barry to imagine a world where Iris wasn’t alive, but this…this was Iris’ Savitar. She didn’t think she’d survive another six months with Barry gone, let alone a lifetime. Given half the chance Iris would put a bullet between DeVoe’s shoulders so he could die like Savitar did. 

Suddenly Iris realized she was palming the revolver she kept hidden in a thigh holster under her dress and let it go as if it were on fire. She had gotten a concealed carry permit a couple years ago, but it wasn’t until recently she had started carrying it regularly. Barry wasn’t the only one who would walk through the valley of death to keep their loved ones safe. But if Iris let that side of herself run free, she wouldn’t be any different than Marlize. 

The gentle click-clack of boots echoed in the hallway outside the cortex and Iris jumped. Dawn entered the room with a puzzled look on her face, “Iris? What’s wrong?”

Iris turned with a stone face. God, if she starts crying this is going to be so much harder. “I think you’re what’s wrong, Dawn.”  
Dawn’s puzzled look stayed frozen on her face, “What?”

Slowly, Iris stood up and stalked over; keeping her right hand hovering near her side, making sure her dress kept the bulge on her leg hidden. It was unloaded, but Dawn didn’t need to know that if she gave Iris trouble. Iris kept her voice even, “You were wrong about 17th street, even though you could not have known that’s where Barry and I were. You were just a little bit wrong about so many things.”

Dawn’s eyes flickered to where Iris’ hand stayed hovering, ready, and something clicked behind them. “Iris, no, I promise it’s not what you th-” Iris cut her off with a look and Dawn looked like she was trying to choke down tears. Iris almost eased up. She had never seen somebody look so scared and something inside her was saying Iris was crossing a line she wouldn’t be able to step back from. Iris steeled herself instead. 

“So explain yourself, Dawn. I haven’t got all day. I’m waiting to see if my husband will be able to come home to me tonight,” Iris said with a threatening sweetness. Dawn looked like she was stuttering for an answer, but she couldn’t get it out. 

A flash of light and a familiar whoosh swept over Iris’ skin. “What the hell is going on here?!” Barry yelled with a slight crack in his voice. “Barry, she wormed her way onto the team with false information and now she won’t explain why,” Iris said to her husband without taking her eyes off Dawn, “You know something is off about her and I’ll be damned if I let this team be taken down from the inside again.” She spared a glance at Barry who stared back incredulous eyes. “I won’t let you get hurt again.”

Barry put his hands between Dawn and Iris like he was trying to settle a wild horse, “Okay, okay I know exactly how you feel. Put the gun away, and Dawn will feel comfortable enough to tell us what’s going on. Come on.” Barry held out his hand and Iris reluctantly retrieved her revolver. Barry sped it over to the other side of the lab and came back to face Dawn. 

“Dawn,” he said patiently, “Iris is right. You know something more than what you’re telling us and I can that you’re scared.” Dawn had slowly backed into the nearest wall and only looked at Barry. “Dawn,” he repeated, “I’ve helped people on the wrong side before, and I promise I can help you.” Dawn shook her head desperately and Iris started calculating how close she could get to the revolver. 

Dawn finally spoke, “No, I can’t-” Barry glanced over his shoulder at Iris and pleaded with her silently to give Dawn a chance. Then he looked back at Dawn. “Yes, you can. I promise…I don’t know why, but I know that whatever it is we can face it together.”  
At that Dawn finally broke. One tear streaked down her cheek, followed by another and another. She put her face in her hands, and almost instinctively Barry and Iris took a few steps closer to her, the supposed danger forgotten. They waited for what seemed like an eternity. 

Dawn took a deep breath. “I-I didn’t lie before. N-not really,” Dawn’s teeth chattered on the last word. Barry and Iris looked at each other, but silently decided to wait. Dawn lifted her wet face and stared into Barry’s eyes. Her voice got steadier, “My middle name is Dawn. M-my real name is Nora. Nora Dawn,” and she looked between Iris and Barry, “West-Allen.”

With those final syllables, something heavy and solid seemed to settle inside of Barry. Ever since he became a speedster, he was a man on a wire. He was constantly buzzing with electricity, with too much motion whirling inside of him to stay still. Barry found an anchor in Iris, but now he felt like he finally had solid footing. Then he realized Dawn hadn’t taken a breath for a while. 

Iris moved as if she was in a dream – moving before she even realized she was. She put one hand on Barry’s shoulder to anchor herself, and the other covered her gaping mouth. It couldn’t be. Yet here she was. 

Nora lowered her eyes to the floor like a child – their child – preparing for some kind of punishment. That’s when Barry began to move. Slowly, he reached up and cupped Nora’s face in his hands. God how could this be real? That’s when Nora looked up and saw the watery smile that spread over Barry’s face. She could breathe again. He believed her. No more words needed to be said.

Barry pulled Dawn into a hug and instinctively Iris followed to envelop them both. Nora started sobbing in earnest now and Iris covers Nora’s head, feeling the phantom memory of cradling the infant she hasn’t carried yet. Something about her feels empty and wanting, but the time for these questions would wait for later. 

Meanwhile, Barry holds his daughter tighter as she cries and gets a glimpse of the future that could be lost if DeVoe isn’t defeated. He wonders how long it’s been since Nora had hugged either of them, and refused to face the heartbreaking possibilities.  
From the moment Barry realized who Nora was, it had already been too long since he’d held her.


End file.
